Some people are very mouse-dependent, while others are tied to the keyboard. Word, fortunately, accommodates both types of people. There are times, however, when you cannot work as much with the mouse as you may want to. One such time is when you right-click on words in a document. Normally, if you select a word and then right-click on it, you have the option of doing several common tasks, such as cutting, copying, pasting, or formatting.
All this changes, however, if you have automatic spell checking turned on and the highlighted word is misspelled. Word places a red wavy line under the misspelled word, and when you right-click you are presented with a totally different menu from the normal one. This menu is completely spelling-related, since Word assumes you want to correct the spelling of the word before you do anything else.
If you want, instead, to perform those common tasks (cutting, copying, pasting, etc.) via the Context menu, you are left out in the cold. You will need to either correct the spelling first or you will need to rely on regular menu choices or keyboard shortcuts to accomplish the desired task. (For instance, you would press Ctrl+X to cut the selected word.)
If you are a die-hard mouse user in this circumstance, you can of course modify the Context menu used for spelling, using the techniques detailed in a previous issue of WordTips.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1648) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
Word 2002 has an issue with the SpellCheck feature returning a dll error.
Discover MoreGrammar, particularly in English, has a perplexing array of rules and exceptions to those rules. Word does a fairly good ...
Discover MoreWhen Word checks the spelling of a document, it can either check or ignore words that are in uppercase letters. Here's ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2019-03-14 13:27:04
Cecilia Holodak
A work-around I found in Office 365 is highlighting the text and then expanding the formatting window from the toolbar.
2012-05-18 12:29:37
Debra Eaton
Here is the link:
http://word.tips.net/T000389_Changing_the_Context_Shortcut_Menus.html
2012-05-18 07:05:28
Lisa Smith
Why don't you include a link to the article you are referencing how to change the right click context menu? It isn't much of a tip without the article.
I know I can google it, I'm just curious why you didn't reference it?
I appreciate all the articles you create, I share them with coworkers and friends all the time.
Thanks
Lisa Smith
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments